Making Memories of Us
by gunnymom
Summary: Eric and Sookie were ripped apart by unexpected tragedy, now after four years apart a life altering mishap brings Eric running back to the woman he walked away from only to find the last thing she remembers is being in his arms. She doesn't remember the years they lost together, but life couldn't be that simple could it? Can Eric and Sookie right their wrongs and get back to what t
1. Prologue

**This is my very first story. I have been an avid reader for over a year now. I haven't written since high school and let me tell you that was a long time ago. So please be kind. I am such a fan of so many authors and stories that I just had to join the ranks. Enjoy the adventure. **  
**Sadly Eric and Sookie do not belong to me(only in my dreams..and boy are they good). Ms. Harris is the one with that privilege.**

**Prologue:**

Sookie and Eric have been friends since childhood, best friends, playing in the backyard to girlfriend/boyfriend all through high school. As a matter of fact, Sookie had always dreamed of marrying Eric. Their relationship continued on into college. They were the perfect couple. Everyone thought so, but while in college, something happened to change everything. Eric got a phone call from his step mother in Sweden. His father had a stroke.

Eric left for Stockholm to be at his father's side, leaving Sookie to think that he would be back to finish school, get married and start their life together. But weeks just kept passing. His Dad's recovery wasn't going to be easy or short. Eric took it upon himself to step in and take over the family businesses. In a phone call that ended in nothing but tears from both Sookie and Eric, Eric told Sookie that he would not be returning to America. He told her to go on with her life. He had too many responsibilities now. His life wa there in Sweden now. Sookie was devestated. Her heart was broken. Eric was no better; he was confused as to what to do. Sookie tried to let Eric know that she would wait for him. He begged her not to. Eric knew that she had so much of her life ahead of her, and he had so much to worry about now. Sookie didn't have the money or willpower to just go after Eric, so she just let him go. He had already made up his mind and he didn't want to make it work. So Eric had his sister, Pam, pack up all of his belongings and ship them to Sweden. Just like that Eric and Sookie were no more.

Four years passed and Sookie finished college; she casually dated, when her friends set her up. But she never had another relationship until she met Alcide. Sookie was working for an interior design firm in Shreveport, and Alcide was a contractor on a mutual job. They met on the job site. They flirted with each other for weeks. When she finally agreed to go out on a date with him, they just clicked. Sookie felt she could finally move forward with someone who wasn't Eric. He would never be what Eric was to her, Eric was her first everything, but Alcide loved her and she cared for him a lot. The big plus for Alcide was that her was here and not in another country.

After almost a year together, Alcide asked Sookie to marry him. She said yes. This was Sookie's life without Eric, this is what he wanted, he wanted her to go on with her life. Wedding plans were being made by Sookie and her friends and Alcide was busy with his family's contracting business and remodeling a home for him and Sookie in Shreveport.

Meanwhile in Sweden, Eric's father had been handicapped by the stroke. He needed a lot of therapy and around the clock care. A live-in nurse was brought in to help Eric and his step mother care for him. Eric was doing his best to do anything for the father, who had never spent a lot of time with his son while he was growing up. Eric wanted to stand tall, be the man and do the right thing. He had done what he thought was right by leaving Sookie behind in America. He knew that the quick break up would be the best, but he could never get her off of his mind or out of his heart. He couldn't stop thinking about how much Sookie would have loved Stockholm. This city was a designers dream. But he also knew how much Sookie loved Bon Temps and she would never be this far from her Gran, Jason and her friends.

When Eric wasn't thinking about what he lost in Louisiana, his job here in Sweden was just so stressful for him. Eric had always wanted to own his own business, but he thought he'd start out small and work to build it. With the help of some very good friends and partners of his father's, Eric found himself finally settling into his role as the head of Northman, Inc. Eric made some friends of his own and went out when he could. He spent a lot of his time getting to know his father; helping him with his speech therapy brought them closer together.

Eric had even dated a little bit here and there. He was never without a beautiful woman on his arm for the many events he was expected to attend because of his position. But no one was his Sookie. No one held his heart the way Sookie still did. Then one holiday, a year ago, his father's home nurse introduced him to her daughter, Nora, who had been in Paris studying and had just returned home. Nora was beautiful, funny, talented, but most of all she was not Sookie. Eric needed someone in his life and Nora was there. The two quickly become an item. Nora was an artist and spent a lot time at Eric's apartment that he kept near the offices. She had been there so much that for her birthday Eric had the sunroom converted into a studio and asked her to move in with him. He was happy and content, as much as he could be.

**So this is my first attempt to put words to paper and hope that someone feels for the characters the way that I do. **  
**I want to thank a very special and talented person, MissyDee has been my Beta, my new friend and cheerleader through this process. She is just plain Ole AMAZING! If you haven't read any of her stories, you are missing a lot of juicy fun! **  
**I hope that each of you will review and give me words of encouragement. Like MissyDee said to me today, "This is the hardest part." This is my baby, so be kind.**


	2. Chapter 1

**All I can say is "WOW". This is so much fun. So here is the next chapter that everyone has been waiting on.**

**I don't own these people..but Charlaine Harris does, and we thank her.**

**Chapter 1 EPOV: present day(5yrs after Eric's father's stroke)**

Eric can't believe that this is happening again. Here he is on a plane from Sweden to Louisiana because someone in his family needed him. Earlier today, He and Nora were having brunch with his father when he got the frantic phone call from his mother. There had been an awful car crash. Pam was hit by a drunk driver last night while driving Sookie home. They were both in critical condition at Shreveport General Hospital. With tears in his eyes, Eric assured his mother that he would be on the next flight out of Sweden.

When the call ended, the others knew that something was terribly wrong. He just said that his family needed him in the States and told them what he knew so far and that he would keep them informed. Eric quickly made a phone call to Andre, VP of Operations at Northman, Inc., telling him to take care of things in his absence.

At the apartment, while he was packing and calling the airlines, Nora just stood there in disbelief. "Why do you have to leave today? Maybe you should wait until Pam is stable. Or at least wait until after my art exhibit tomorrow night. Did you forget about that?"

Nora's exhibit was the last thing on his mind. "Nora! You've got to be kidding! This is my sister and my Sookie we're talking about. I'm not sure they will survive. I've got to be with her, she needs me!"

"But I need you, Eric! You know how important this exhibit is to me. Pam has your mother with her right now. And whot the hell is your Sookie?" she asks, the significance of his declaration just now registering with her.

Eric was outraged that Nora was being so selfish. "They are my family, that's who they are and they need me! And you are worried about me missing your art show! Enough of this! I'm going home!"

Eric's taxi arrived and he left without another word to Nora. He did look back and saw Nora standing in the window, pouting like a spoiled child. She didn't know the pain that he and Sookie went through. Leaving Nora was different. Eric told the driver to get him to the airport as soon as possible and they pulled away.

Twelve hours later, Eric was driving out of the Shreveport Airport in a rental car, headed to Shreveport General. He'd just called his mother, telling her that he landed and would be there soon. Sophie Ann seemed relieved and anxious at the same time. Eric hoped he wasn't too late.

When Eric got off of the elevator, he was surprised at the sight in front of him. There stood his mother, this strong and determined woman who basically raised him and Pam by herself. She was lost and sad. She looked like she had not slept or eaten in days. Eric took her in his arms, holding on to her with all of his might.

"I'm here now. I'm home, Mom," he whispered in his mother's ear. She just cried into her son's embrace. After a few minutes of just holding on to one another, he felt her relax. Eric pulled away, looked into his mother's eyes and asked, "Mom, what are they saying about Pam and Sookie?"

Taking a seat in the small drab waiting room, Sophie Ann took her son's hand, "Pam had internal injuries, she had to have surgery earlier to stop the bleeding. She has a broken wrist and fractured leg. She hasn't come out of the anesthesia yet. But they are allowing me visits every four hours. The next visitation should be in about a half an hour. You'll be able to see her for yourself."

Eric was about to ask about Sookie, when he heard two voices enter the room. He knew Jason, Sookie's older brother, but the large rugged man with him he did not recognize. The man walked up to Sophie Ann and gave her a cup of coffee. He must be a friend of Jason's. Eric stood and hugged Jason,"Jason, man this sucks. Hate seeing you again like this. How's Sookie?"

"Thanks for coming, dude. Sookie's in real bad shape" Jason said choking back tears. Eric felt his heart stop. His sweet Sookie couldn't die. "They had to cut her out of the car. She was trapped for a while. She was flown her by helivac. It was her side of the car that actually hit the tree. She's got internal bleeding, broken bones, lot's of stitches and they say she's got a serious head injury. She was in surgery for almost three hours. Eric, she's in a coma."

Eric's legs wouldn't hold him anymore, he collapsed into the chair. All kinds of emotions were hitting him. The pictures he had in his mind of the wreckage and Sookie's mangled body were killing him. It was his mother's turn to comfort her son. "Eric, hon, they don't know the severity of her head injuries yet. They haven't said much to us."

Eric took a deep breath, sat up and wiped the tears from his face and declared, "I can't lose Sookie! I just can't!" When he opened his eyes, he was looking at the man who came with Jason. He looked like he was in pain. 'Hell, he looked just like how I felt.' Eric thought to himself.

Eric and the man were just staring at each other, when Jason broke their gaze, "Ah Dude. I'm sorry. I totally forgot ya'll don't know each other. Eric, this is Alcide Hereraux, Sookie's fiance." Eric froze. Sookie's fiance? What the hell? His heart screamed...he'd already lost her, he just didn't know it.

Rolling his shoulders back, Eric got to his feet; put forth his hand to shake the hand of the man who had his Sweet Sookie. "Eric, Eric Northman." he acknowledged, trying his best to keep it together. Then he felt Sophie Ann's gentle hand on his back. In that one gesture, Eric knew that his mother understood how bad he was hurting.

"Good to meet ya," was all Alcide said as he shook his hand.

They all just sat there quietly talking, the others were telling Eric that Sookie had been in Bon Temps that day, and that Pam was her maid of honor. 'My sister was maid of honor to the love of my life, who was marrying someone else. How strange is that?' Eric said to himself. They met with the landscaper earlier that day and had dinner with Mom that evening. Pam was driving her back to the farmhouse when they were hit by Jane Bodehouse, who had just left Merlotte's. Jane was the town drunk, everyone knew her.

"Hell, Sookie and I have driven her home a couple of times back in high school, when she worked at Merlotte's." Eric explained. "What happened? How did she get out of Merlotte's? Sam was always so careful with Jane. He usually called her son or got someone to give her a ride home. Anyone talk to Sam?" he asked Jason.

Jason said that Sam was feeling awful about this, he had a beer truck that showed up late and he was out back and the bar was packed. They sat there comtemplating what happened and why, when a nurse came to tell them it was visiting hours. Eric stood and took his mother's hand to lead her back. He hesitated just a bit, not knowing what to expect. Two of the most important women in his life were behind those doors fighting for their lives.

Sophie Ann sensed his anxiousness, squeezed his hand, "They are both tough women, Eric. They have a lot to live for."

Eric tried to smile at his mother then led her through the double doors around the nurse's station toward Pam's room. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Alcide talking to a nurse outside of Sookie's room. He looked inside the room, but couldn't see Sookie. The curtain was pulled around the bed. So they continued to Pam's room next to Sookie's.

He knew he had to be strong as he walked into Pam's room. He was shocked when he saw his tough as nails little sister laying helplessly in that hospital bed. She looked like she lost a bitch fight, but Pam never lost a fight. Sophie Ann's tears started again. He put his arm around his mother and led her to Pam's bedside. They both just stood there holding Pam's good hand. A nurse soon came in to check her vitals and change the IV bag. She told them that Pam had been in and out of conscience for the past few hours. They were giving her something for the pain and to help her rest. Pam was actually doing very good; her vitals were stong and showed signs of movement. They were expecting her to be fully conscience by tomorrow morning. The nurse told Sophie Ann that she should be able to talk to her daughter in the morning and suggested that they go get some rest. Sophie Ann and Eric stayed at Pam's side for a bit longer, but Eric's heart wa being pulled to Sookie.

Sophie Ann saw her son glance toward the other room several times. "Eric, why don't we go check on Sookie before visiting hours are over? I always see her before I leave. So come on, I'll go with you." They each kissed Pam's cheek and told her they loved her before walking out. He was about to see the woman he'd loved for as long as he could remember and he wasn't sure his heart could take what awaited him.

**Thank You...Thank You...Thank You!** **I can't believe the response I've gotten from my very 1st story. MissyDee(my wondrous BETA) and I are freaking out. I am so glad that you are interested in my 'baby'. I am learning as I go, and the process is exciting and nerve wracking at the same time. So bear with me. I hope this satisfies your hunger for more. And the reviews really do help me.**


	3. Chapter 2

**This is so amazing! The muses just keep speaking and I was able to get one more chapter out this week. You never know. I just can't tell you thank you enough for all of the reviews and love that I'm getting from everyone. It means so much to me. Keep me fired up!**

**Eric and Sookie are not mine (if they were I'd die one very happy girl)**

**Chapter 2: SPOV Present Day(5yrs after Eric's father's stroke)**

It was four months until Sookie and Alcide's wedding. She was so busy, a new project at work with the wife of the mayor of Shreveport. This was such an important account and she felt like she was stretching herself too thin, with all the wedding plans also. She hardly ever saw Alcide near enough. He was determined to have their house remodeled and ready to move in within the year. He told her that morning that it would be worth it when she would be able to get her hands on the decorating phase of the project.

Sookie had just finished a conference call with the mayor's wife and was getting a few things together to spend the night in Bon Temps. Sookie was meeting with Pam, her maid of honor. She remained friends with Pam De Beaufort and Sophie Ann Northman after the breakup with Eric. They did not talk about Eric a lot, just mentioned him briefly here and there, just to let her know that he was okay. Sophie Ann, Eric's mother, had been to Sweden a few times over the years to visit her son, but Eric never returned to Louisiana.

When Sookie pulled into the drive on Hummingbird Lane, she sat in her car for a few minutes looking at the beautiful farmhouse that she'd grown up in. She and Jason were raised by their Gran after their parents died in a car crash when they were younger. Sookie got out of the car and walked around the yard. She always dreamed of getting married in the backyard garden, which she spent so many hours working with her Gran. She taught Sookie about growing flowers, teaching her about life and love as they planted and groomed the flowers. But in all of her dreams about a wedding in this garden, Gran was by her side and Eric Northman was the man waiting for her at the end of the aisle. Gran died two years ago; Sookie was already working in Shreveport and had just met Alcide. Sookie had inherited the family farmhouse, and likes to come here by herself sometimes just to get away from it all. She and Alcide spent some weekends here also. Sookie had to convince Alcide to keep the farmhouse as their 'country home'.

Pam and Sookie had just finished the meeting with the landscapers, who also took care of the grounds while she was away. They finalized the plans for the ceremony and reception.

"Well, I think it's going to be just lovely, Sookie," Pam said while clicking away at her Blackberry.

"Yeah, it is, I'm glad you suggested getting a tent, for when the weather turns bad," Sookie said as Pam kept clicking away at her phone. Pam was a great choice for maid of honor. She was so in control of all the plans and she knew just what Sookie wanted and was determined that everything was perfect. That was Pam for you-perfect.

"Mom says dinner's ready when we are." Pam informed Sookie.

"Ya know if we'd had cell phones when we were kids, maybe we wouldn't have gotten in so much trouble for being late for dinner or just forgetting about it all together." Sookie said remembering all the summer's that the three of them spent at the lake behind the Stackhouse farm.

Sookie rode with Pam back through town to the Northman home. It was always strange walking through the doors to the house where she had spent so much of her life with Pam and Eric. Sookie always felt 'at home' in this house. But today Sookie felt somewhat mournful about it all. Most likely because she was starting a new chapter of her life with someone other than Eric. Walking through the home, Sookie noticed all the photos that Sophie Ann had displayed everywhere. She had seen these pictures before, but today it was like she was seeing them for the first time. There were photos of Eric and Pam at all stages of their childhood. Sookie was in several of the pictures. A picture of the three of them at a church picnic, dirty and sticky, but smiling ear to ear, eating watermelon. The next photo was taken at Easter when they were thirteen and fourteen. Sookie wasn't looking at the camera, instead she was looking up at Eric and they were laughing at one another. Eric had pinched her and she had punched him in the arm. Sookie teared up when she saw their picture of their senior prom. That was a very special night for the couple, Eric got a hotel room and that was the first time that they spent an entire weekend together. He made it so special. All the special events and holidays were documented in front of her, thanks to Sophie Ann and her desire to freeze time.

After dinner the ladies all sat in the den having coffee. On the side table, Sookie saw a photo that she had never seen; it must have been taken last year at Christmas. She knew that Sophie Ann had visited Eric. 'Oh, he looks so good.' she thought to herself. Her heart skipped a beat and she took a deep breath. Sookie hadn't laid eyes on Eric in five years. He hadn't changed that much, he did look a little bit older, especially wearing that suit. Eric's wardrobe usually consisted of jeans and t-shirts; something Sookie always thought was so sexy about him. But this Eric-the Swedish Eric was just down right hot. Sookie was getting that warm feeling all over, the feeling she was so used to when she thought of Eric. She felt the tears well up in her eyes and it was getting hard to breath. She couldn't be thinking about Eric like this. She was marrying a wonderful man who loves her with all of his heart. She shouldn't be sitting her picturing Eric in well-worn jeans and his favorite LSU t-shirt. She had to get out of here. There were too many memories in this house; this was not good for her.

"Pam, I'm sorry, but I'm getting really tired and I do have to get back to Shreveport in the morning to meet with a client. Do you mind taking me back to Gran's?" Sookie asked, trying to leave as soon as possible.

So Sookie gave Sophie Ann hugs and kisses and thanked her for the wonderful dinner. Telling her that she would see her when she came back in a few weeks.

It was late and the roads were wet, thanks to an evening thunderstorm that had come through during dinner. Gran's farmhouse was on the other side of town from the Northman's, just this side of Merlotte's Bar and Grill, where Sookie had worked all through high school.

Sookie wasn't in for talking on the ride back, she was still thinking about Eric, so she wasn't really listening to Pam talk about meeting the florist and the bakery next week. Sookie was remembering one night they spent out by Gran's rose bushes. They were laying on one of Gran's old quilts and Eric was above her, placing sweet kisses on every inch of Sookie's skin. Eric pulled back and in the moonlight Sookie could see the fire in his beautiful blue eyes, "Oh, My sweet Sookie. Mine. You will always be mine. I will always be yours. Forever." he said before his mouth descended on hers in a deep passionate kiss. She knew she was Eric's forever. That would never change.

Sookie was so lost in her memories of Eric that she didn't see the headlights that were now blinding Pam or see the oncoming truck until it had hit the car and put it into a spin, veering off of the road and slamming Sookie's side of the car up against a tree. She couldn't hear anything but Pam screaming as everything slowly went black. The last thing she remembered was the blue of Eric's eyes and his deep voice, "Sookie, you're mine...forever."

**I hope this chapter helped answer some questions and let you know where Sookie's head was before the accident. I know you've got to wait just a bit longer for Eric's visit, but it will be worth it. Trust Me.**

**I'd like to thank MissyDee for being the BEST BETA EVER. She got a reward for her efforts at correcting my country girl grammar. This is a free service but she does like to be paid in Skarsporn, so I paid up. Gotta keep her happy. **

**Thanks also to another of my favorite authors, realjena, for making me one of her favorites. HOW COOL IS THAT?!**

**I want to say Hello and thank you to my new friend, SouthGaTrubie, for being so encouraging and my partner in Skarsporn crime. Stay Frosty.**


End file.
